He's Mine
by Ash Gray Kitsune
Summary: Blatant, blatant fluff. I think the only warning's are Kakashi and Naruto's mouths, and the faint hint of teenage lust.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Do not own Naruto, or any of it's merchandising rights...if I did, don't you think that Irukashi would have become canon?**

_He's Mine_

The absolute carnage wrecked in one measly night astonished the young jounin standing on the roof of one of the few undamaged apartment buildings. Granted, he'd only been made jounin just a little while ago, but still...this was beyond his realm of experience. His eyes, both the normal gray and red sharingan, darted around the torn up street, searching for any signs of life, just as his commander had told him to. Somewhere out there was the Third and the Fourth, and his heart went out to his sensei, hoping that wherever the Yondaime and his wife were, they and their baby were safe. He knew all too well what it was like to lose a family...His head snapped around, and he felt his stomach drop as he saw a boy close to his age sobbing over the charred body of a woman. His body seemed to move on its own, coming to land in a crouch before the boy, absently taking note that his ponytail was frayed and burned at the edges, rendering his hair color impossible to see. A long gash crossed his face, bleeding a little, but it seemed to have clotted well enough. Kakashi reached forward, touching the other's shoulder hesitantly.

Brown eyes the shade of mahogany glared up at him, overflowing with crystalline tears as he slapped the jounin's hand away. They sat there for what felt like an eternity, eyes locked on one another, before the boy moved, this time with purpose. He proceeded to pull a piece of cloth away from his mother's clothing, part of a skirt it looked like, and draped it carefully over her face. He then took her hands and crossed them over her chest, smoothing out her hair carefully. He then sat back on his knees, his hands fisting in the torn shorts that barely covered his skinny legs. Kakashi seated himself too, thankful that the fires at least were going out, and that the night sky was starting to lighten, just a little. He may have been a trained killer, but he didn't like the dark...besides. He didn't mind paying his respects; he'd been doing so for Obito for a year now.

"So what do you want?" The boy's voice was hoarse and cracking, but not entirely unfriendly. Kakashi rubbed at the black fabric covering his lower face and sighed a little bit. Dust and ash had percolated through the mask, causing his skin to itch mercilessly, and he forced himself not to pull the mask down. Only that severe habit kept his fingers from wandering too far, and so he focused his attention back towards the quiet, sad brown eyes, wondering if he should have pulled his ANBU mask back on after all.

"Well, I'm supposed to tell you that we gotta meet at the hospital and get you checked out, but I figured...considering that this is your mother...bending the rules a little wouldn't hurt. Is...that okay?" He replied softly, keeping his gaze down respectfully. Actually, his orders were to rescue, revive, or recover anyone who might have been injured or killed, and so technically, he should have been heading back to the hospital right now, carrying the mother's body to the morgue, all without more than than three words said. But, that didn't feel right, and despite how much he loathed his father, that was one thing that had resonated deep within him, however he might deny it. Several minutes passed without an answer, and he dared to glance up, about to say something rather pointed about staying in a place where the buildings were likely to come down left and right, when the other held up a hand, clearly listening at something in the distance.

"Do you hear a baby?" Kakashi stared, dumbfounded at him, before cocking his head and listening, wondering if the smoke had made the kid a little screwy...He knew that there were still people trapped in the buildings, and likely it was someone who had no way of escaping-that was definitely a baby. And a scared one at that, judging from the screaming.

"I...think it is. And it's coming from the direction of the forest...where are you going?" The boy turned to look at him, planting his hands on his hips in a very motherly fashion and glaring. Kakashi was distinctly reminded of a distant memory of his mother, and wondered if the woman at their feet had taught her son to stand like that.

"Well, clearly something's wrong, and clearly that baby needs to be taken care of. Now hop to, Scarface, we've gotta get over there." Kakashi's mouth worked for the second time in five minutes, absolutely stunned by the kid's reaction, when his brain finally engaged and he made a tactical decision, jogging after the other and wrapping one arm around his waist to teleport into the forest proper. Silencing the boy's indignant yelp with one gloved hand, the jounin was a little relieved to see the chakra patterns all around them, shinobi he knew and trusted, and...he'd better keep track of the little brown-eyed twit before he got them into trouble. It wasn't a long walk to where the baby lay; the kid had made a bee-line for the little one and had scooped it up, cooing softly as he rocked back and forth on what looked to be the remains of an altar. Kakashi drew his father's chakra blade just to be safe, taking up a watch as the screams and hiccuping slowly died down.

A battle had taken place here, judging from the blood and burned undergrowth, possibly killing several shinobi, if he was any judge. But the shadows were too dark; the only light that filled the small clearing was from the moon, bathing even the charred trees in a cool, ethereal light. He shivered; there was going to be hell to pay for breaking orders, but he hoped that the Yondaime would understand...surely the man wouldn't punish him too harshly for going to the aid of a newborn...His thoughts scattered as he took up a defensive position, for several dozen figures were emerging from the forest's shadows, led by one man in old armor...Kakashi felt a faint smile touch his face beneath the mask as he straightened up, bowing respectfully.

"Sandaime-sama..." The man nodded to the greeting, but did not smile, and strode forward, kneeling before the other boy and taking the baby gently from him. Sarutobi felt sickened at the twisted wrecks that lay in the shadows behind the two young boys; clearly, neither had thought to look through the remains, and for a moment, the old man was glad. He did not wish for them to have that pain added to their psyches tonight as well. To distract himself, he pondered the infant in his hands; a tuft of bright blond hair made him smile, just a little.

"Kakashi, Iruka..." The jounin filed that name away for reference later; he hadn't even thought to introduce himself before. "I'm so glad to see you both alright. You followed little Naruto's cries too, didn't you?" The boy named Iruka looked slightly confused, wrapping his fingers around the baby's.

"You know his name, Sandaime-sama?"

"I do indeed...I followed his father's jutsu in hopes that I might be able to save Minato and Kushina, but...the Kyuubi stole their lives as well. Thankfully, it is sealed away, and this time, I intend to make sure that it does not return. But...I must ask how you two came to be here." Iruka glanced at Kakashi, suddenly startled to see the older boy in tears, his whole body rigid. The young jounin was silent for a time, then a voice devoid of emotion, his eyes distant and dead inside, spoke.

"I...I found Iruka-kun in the ruins over by the apartments, an' sat with him while he mourned his mom, an' then we followed the baby's cryin'..." The Sandaime pulled Kakashi close, letting him shake uncontrollably into the old man's shoulder, and he turned to Iruka, who numbly nodded, taking Naruto back to cradle close to his chest. He pulled both boys close, giving them the comfort neither had really afforded the other.

"This is a terrible night for all of us, my young shinobi...truly, unbelievably terrible. It will take a long time for the grief to fade...it always does. But I need to ask you both a tremendous favor; can I trust in the two of you to complete this task?" Kakashi pulled away slightly, rubbing his face and mask with his hands to blot away the tears, while Iruka carefully wiped them away to avoid breaking open the gash across his nose. Both boys nodded, and the Hokage smiled gently, allowing a little of his own pain to show. "I'm glad. I need the two of you to take Naruto up to the Hokage's tower; Kakashi, I'll make sure it's known that you're both to be allowed in. Follow their instructions for security, then camp out and get yourselves taken care of. Eat, drink, use the restroom, what have you...I then need you two to babysit while we get the village set to rights again. This is an important mission; babies need a lot of care in the first few hours of life, and I'm afraid that leaving him with a nurse at this point will end up with him being neglected. Can you do this?" The nods came again, a little tentative on Kakashi's part, a little firmer on Iruka's. "Good. Now, get going; it's a long walk back."

* * *

><p>"Thank you." Iruka's voice was soft, muffled by the top of the baby's head, but Kakashi only smiled with his one gray eye, having pulled his ANBU mask entirely off. The walk back was filled with an eerie silence, one born in shock and mourning for the many lives lost. All around them shuffled shinobi, craftsmen, the owners of Ichiraku's...all with eyes downcast and tears staining their faces. Some hugged one another, while others sobbed into their neighbor's shoulders, sorrow robbing them of coherant speech. One woman had fainted in their path, and Kakashi had paused to help her husband pick her up, waiting until the man had her up on his shoulders before gently tugging at Iruka's hand. He glanced up at the lightening sky, and sighed a little.<p>

"For what?"

"For agreeing to help. It's not easy to care for a baby..."

"Maa...feed him, clean him, give him a nap, right?"

"Mm...if you're lucky. If you're not, he'll wail for hours until you figure it out."

"You sound pretty sure of yourself."

"Well, my mom was a medic-nin in the Wave, and she became a midwife here. I've seen lots of babies delivered and taken care of." The jounin looked impressed, and he motioned to Naruto.

"So, you could tell me exactly what you needed right now to take care of the kid?"

"Diapers, formula, a bottle with a nipple, a better blanket. You can find all of those at the drugstore, if it isn't totally demolished." Iruka replied promptly, motioning behind them vaguely. "But right now, he's going to be okay. He's a little dirty, and a bit cold, but I don't doubt he'll be fine once we get to the Hokage-sama's office." Kakashi nodded, and moved a little behind Iruka, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I think I have enough chakra left to transport us directly there, and still be able to function. Besides, I have a set of helpers that can run errands for us. Can you stand still for a moment?" Iruka paused, and with a hissed jutsu and a sign, they appeared right in front of the Hokage's tower. Normally, Kakashi would have simply just gone up to the office, but given the stronger security, he did not care to see the younger boy and baby made into pincushions. Besides...he stumbled a little, and had to lean heavily on Iruka's shoulder as they walked inside. Thankfully, Ibiki-san and Ino-san were the ones standing guard, and they had already gotten word, so after being helped upstairs, Kakashi had enough strength to bite his thumb. Eight dogs, all raising voice at being hauled out of sleep, sprung up around his feet, and he pointed to Iruka, collapsing into the Hokage's chair.

"Alright, you jerks, listen to Iruka. You've got a baby to help take care of..." And with that, Kakashi passed out completely, a light snore rising from the black mask covering the lower half of his face. Pakkun looked at him, then looked at Iruka, and sighed a little, padding over to rub against the younger boy's legs.

"Well then, young pup...what do you need us to do?"

* * *

><p>A long night and day later, the Sandaime found the two youngsters fast asleep in a pool of sunshine, Naruto lying on Iruka's chest as he snuggled against Kakashi, whose mask had been pushed down to reveal a handsome, if a little sad, face. Bandages criss-crossed Iruka's nose and cheeks, and both boys were draped in one of the Hokage's older robes, curled like a pair of puppies. Pakkun was asleep between them, but one eye opened as the Hokage drew near. Sarutobi's aides immediately started to raise hell when he shushed them with a gesture, moving over to the boys and settling himself down next to them. The elders and his aides might bitch about the robe's use as a blanket, or the trashcan overflowing with pop cans, take-out ramen cartons, and a few diapers, but from what he could see, they made fine babysitters. And judging from the look on Iruka's face, even in slumber, he doubted that anyone trying to take Naruto away would have to do so over Iruka...which made what he had to do so much harder.<p>

"Iruka, Kakashi, it's time to wake up." He said gently, smiling as first the young jounin, then the genin, woke up, stretching and scratching. "How was the baby?" Kakashi yawned widely, but managed to answer before Iruka.

"Maaaa...he was good. A little fussy earlier, but a nap seemed to calm him down just fine. 'Course, he doesn't like me at all.."

"That would be because even a newborn knows when you put a diaper on upside down and inside out."

"Hnn...He should have been grateful that I even did that."

"He's a baby, _baka_, he's just starting to realize when he's hungry and when he's wet. Gratitude is kinda far down the line on things he has to learn."

"I'm just sayin', 'Ruka-kun..." The Hokage grinned wickedly as Iruka blushed at the petname, something the little genin had already become somewhat famous for, and chuckled, earning himself a pair of confused glances.

"My, my...well, I'm glad everything went okay. Iruka, we found your aunt and uncle; for now, I think it's best that you go with them. Kakashi, your commander pardoned you, but he suggested that as soon as you're done here, that you head straight to him for a full debriefing and join in the rebuilding." Both teens lost the animation their faces had gained during their little tiff, and the depression and pain both felt was startlingly clear. In that moment, the Sandaime realized that the past day had soothed a lot of their pain, because rather than focusing on the grief, they had to focus on the brand new life dropped in their laps. And judging from the way Iruka was cradling Naruto, and the way Kakashi was looking at him, taking the baby away and sending them to their respective places would have a catestrophic effect on their psyches. His smile softened, and he caught both their chins, raising their eyes to meet his. Sometimes...the obvious solution is not the best.

"That's what I should be saying...but I have a feeling that if I do, you both will be worse off. Would you two be willing to look after Naruto for now, until he is old enough to join the Academy?" He knew he'd asked the right question when Iruka nodded, a bright smile gracing his young face, and Kakashi relaxed, a warm quirk of his lips only barely betraying his happiness. He was quite sure that the elders would raise a fuss, and a whole older generation of shinobi would be scandalized...but that was fine. He could deal with the scandal. His attention was diverted when Iruka promptly stood up, cooing a bit at Naruto.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. Kakashi, would you go out and see if there's any place we can rent out for now so that I can start salvaging some of my things? That way, we have a roof over our heads that isn't falling down."

"Actually, we can just go hang at my family compound for a while..."

"I can't believe you're even considering letting these two children raise that...that demon!" Came the sharp outburst from a young woman at the back of the Hokage's aides, and both teens froze, Kakashi coming to stand just behind Iruka, the flash of a kunai held tight in his fist. She pushed forward, pointing an accusatory finger at the baby, her loud, shrill voice causing Naruto to fuss and fidget in Iruka's arms. "They can barely take care of themselves, let alone a-"

"Maaa...just because we're young doesn't mean we're not capable." The jounin growled, his left eye uncovered enough to let the sharingan glare out. "I've been an orphan for years, and because his parents were on so many missions, Iruka learned how to care for himself better than I did. I don't know about you, lady, but I've never seen a thirteen-year-old change a diaper with the finesse of a nursemaid. I had to learn from him. We're hardly stupid, and while it's going to be rough for a while, we at least know that we're not going to toss a baby into a corner and ignore him just because of what had to be sealed inside him." At her startled look, he smiled viciously and tore into her. "Oh, don't think we weren't listening. All night long, that's all you idiots could say. Does this kid look that dangerous to you? In case you hadn't noticed, that's a baby, not a demon..."

"And even if he is a demon, he's mine." Iruka finished, his eyes blazing. Kakashi glanced down at him, and smirked a little, drawing his mask up with his free hand.

"Well, now that we've made our point, I think we'll be leaving now!" He chirped, scooping up the brunette bridal-style and hopping out the window, leaving everyone but the Hokage to stare in shock at being talked down to so abruptly. Sarutobi just grinned, and motioning one of them over, hauled himself to his feet. For all the bad that had happened...it was refreshing to see the good. Of course, nightmares would occur, and days might pass where one or both adoptive parents might need a little therapy, but he would prepare for those days, and meet them head on, just as those two had met him.

**So, this has been my baby fic for quite some time, and one that I've been a little reluctant to share, mostly because I'm not sure of the overall plot yet, and it's mostly been falling into place as it goes. But, anyway...Yes, they are a little young to be caring for a baby, but you've got to remember that Kakashi was thirteen when he became a jounin; technically, that makes him not only a full adult, but one with power. And yes, I know they're a year older than they should be; trust me, it'll make sense as the story progresses, and it seemed like a wise idea, since I was already altering the entire course of the main plot of Naruto. So, cheesy, cute, and AU. Always a fun combo, ne?**

**~Ashe**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

_**He's Mine**_

Shrieking giggles erupted as a plump little body wiggled out of his hands, leaving a very soaked Kakashi to struggle to his feet, tangled as he was in the towels that had tumbled down when Naruto had first started fighting his bath. He flung himself to the doorway and poked his head around, both eyes narrowed as he tracked the little boy's chakra, his teeth grinding beneath his mask. There was only one option in a situation like this...

Call Mommy.

"IRUKA! HE'S HEADING FOR THE GATES!"

"I KNOW!" The jounin grinned at the irritation in the young teacher's voice, and managed to haul himself out of the mess on the bathroom floor, jogging lightly to the front door, where he watched Naruto's capture unfold. The little boy had made it out into the yard in record time, streaking around getting himself freshly dirty...when Iruka dropped out of the big ginkou tree backwards, hanging by his chakra-planted feet, swathing the brat in an enormous towel and scooping him up. "There. Now hold still so I can get you at least moderately dried off." He told the child sternly, still holding him upside down. Naruto wailed a little at the rough treatment, but as Iruka flipped over and met the ground, snuggling him close, the child calmed down, snuffling into the chuunin's shoulder.

"Nicely done, Iruka-sensei."

"Uh-huh. How'd he get away this time?"

"He kicked me in the nuts." Iruka winced a little as he stepped inside, patting the Copy Nin on the shoulder.

"I'll forestall my judgement, then. I was going to yell at you...but I won't deny that he's gotten me a few times too."

"Maaaa...I'll go get the bathroom cleaned up." Iruka looked a little surprised, but he smiled.

"And why is that, Kakashi?"

"Because Naruto and I made a royal mess of it, and I don't know about you, but I don't want to walk into a mess of soaked towels in the morning." Kakashi smiled as Iruka laughed, and he leaned forward to place a kiss on Naruto's tousled hair. "Be good for your mom, kiddo. He's got a lot on his plate right now. " A warm blush covered the chuunin's face, though whether it was due to the comment or his own proximity, he wasn't sure. Iruka seemed to blush a lot more these days, especially when he said or did something...A tug on his mask brought him back to reality, and he smiled as Naruto pulled it down, one tiny hand touching his face. Kakashi caught those little fingers and kissed them, blowing a raspberry against his palm before he turned away and headed down the hall, waving to the two of them on his way. Iruka just smiled, and bouncing Naruto in his arms, grinned when he heard the voices of the jounin's poor ninken raise in outrage at being summoned to help him pick up the destroyed room.

* * *

><p>A few hours later saw Naruto fast asleep in his bed, his cat jammies askew, and Iruka and Kakashi surrounded by eight exhausted dogs while they sipped warm sake around the cooking fire, a beef stew cooking lazily in the half-light of the fire. Glancing over at his fellow nin, housemate, and erstwhile partner in parenting, Kakashi had to smile. Iruka was slowly rubbing Pakkun's ears, the pug curled up tightly in his lap, the chuunin's expression one of peaceful contemplation. He'd been on so many missions as of late, that he'd almost forgotten how nice it was to just...relax and do his favorite hobby; Iruka-watching. A lone gray eye wandered over the soft caramel skin, pausing at the dark scar that crossed his face before falling into the depths of those deep brown eyes. A soft pink blush from the sake covered his high cheekbones, and the jounin filled his own cup again, memories softening the silence between them.<p>

For three years, the two teens had been raising Naruto to the best of their ability, despite numerous attempts by the many villagers and older shinobi to convince them otherwise. It hadn't been an easy task, but in truth, perhaps more than anything, it was the best thing that had ever happened to either of them. Naruto was their equalizer, their reason to come home at the end of the day...and more often than not, their main subject in conversation. From the moment either of them entered the gates, the tiny toddler was their constant. Naruto, when Iruka was out teaching, was latched onto Kakashi's back, giggling happily as the older teen tickled his feet while he was out running errands and socializing. When Iruka came home for the night, the baby was almost always in his arms, cuddled close and generally tugging and pulling at the chuunin's long ponytail while Iruka helped Kakashi make dinner. But it was nights like this, when he was put to sleep and the two shinobi relaxed, that the jounin felt a thousand unsaid questions rise up behind his mask.

"How was your class today?" There. The first one was out. Iruka looked a little bemused, and sighed a bit, swirling the liquor in his cup.

"They were a band of monkeys. I honestly couldn't believe the amount of backtalk and bitching I got; and to top it off, the board expected us all to leave for an hour to go to a meeting. I told the elder in charge that there was no way I could leave, because no substitute would be able to survive them all. He was pissed, but given the state of the class, he was forced to agree. So then I had to get debriefed after classes. Even if Naruto was a little hellion today, it was so much nicer to come back home to him and you and know that tomorrow's Saturday. Glorious, glorious Saturday..." He stretched, groaning a little as his shirt lifted up to reveal long, toned abs the same caramel color as his neck and face. Kakashi couldn't help a faint blush, and he averted his eye, pulling his mask down all the way and taking a deep gulp of alcohol to keep himself steady.

"Maaa...Today went surprisingly well. We only got two angry lectures and one glare an' sniff, and Naruto got introduced to Ichiraku's for lunch." At the raised eyebrow he raised his hands, his eye curving up in a sheepish smile. "Don't worry, the Sandaime paid for us. He got such a kick out of the kid that I almost had to pry Naruto off him when we had to leave. And everyone in the shop just had to hold him at least once. Even Itachi was enjoying himself; he had little Sasuke with him and we talked parenting, since he ends up taking care of the boy more often than not. Then we stopped by the meeting room and talked to a few of my fellows, then I tied him down and got the groceries and some sake, then we headed back home. I'm sorry yours was so bad, though..." Iruka smiled gently and reached forward, ruffling Kakashi's hair gently. The sixteen-year-old shook his head a bit as he replied.

"It's quite alright. You didn't have to take Naruto out and wear him down for later; you could have slept and actually gotten some time to yourself for a change after a mission. You truly never get any peace..." His voice was soft, and more than a little sad, and Kakashi caught his hand, pulling it towards himself with a light tug. He played a little with Iruka's fingers, tracing his long fingers over honey-drenched skin. The silence lay heavy over the room for sometime, when he spoke again, his voice low and rather urgent sounding.

"Iruka, I honestly don't mind it in the least. Naruto is hardly a bad child, and even with the hyperactivity, he's a joy to wake up to even in the middle of the night...Besides...he's kinda my kid too, now. I don't want to be just be the babysitter...I want to be his father. And..." He paused now, and met Iruka's eyes, drowning in confused mahogany. He broke himself away reluctantly, and pulled Iruka close, drawing him into his arms. He heaved a shaky breath, and brushed a few long strands of dark brown hair out of the chuunin's face, concious of how dark Iruka's blush had gotten, and he smiled tenderly. "I want his mother to like me as much as he likes his kid." He might have laughed at Iruka's shell-shocked expression, but he chose to plant a soft, tentative kiss on the teacher's lips. Kakashi almost cried when he felt the lips beneath his move in return, and one hand went up to cup the back of Iruka's head, long, pale fingers weaving into his hair. They ended it slowly, languidly, Kakashi nuzzling close while Iruka hid his blush in Kakashi's silvery spikes.

"You know, I wonder how many people will be shocked that we weren't together before this." Kakashi laughed a little.

"But we were! Just a little less cuddly. Are you sure, though, that you want to do this? There's no shortage of people who would love to string the both of us up, more so now." Iruka chuckled darkly, earning himself an odd look from the jounin.

"Yes, but I have a jounin to take care of me, don't I?" A devious grin touched Kakashi's lips, and he tipped the other teen backwards, landing on top of him and reveling in the deep red blush that covered his cheeks and neck.

"That you do..." He chuckled a little bit, hearing the soft sound of a child fussing. "Sorry, Naruto. Right now, he's mine.

* * *

><p>"Well, <em>you<em> got us into this."

"I'm aware, Iruka."

"It was _your_ idea to go into the swamp."

"I know, Iruka."

"I was violently opposed to this, if you recall."

"Iruka, I swear to the kami I will gag you, have my way with you, then stuff you in a tree for the remainder of this mission with enough food and water to survive until I've killed these bastards. Then I will drag your ass home, hand in my report, pick up the kid, and tie you up in the bedroom again."

"...Sorry. I'm just worried about getting back home." Came the contrite answer, and Kakashi sighed behind his mask, reaching back to gently brush the claws of his gloves against Iruka's sleeve while they crouched, hidden from the searchers.

"I know, lover. But nagging is really not a good thing to do right now. We've got a lot against us, and we're just one chuunin and an ANBU. If Asuma, Genma, and Raidou were here, it'd be a little easier, but the kami only know where they are now. So until we're clear, I want you to treat me as your team leader, not your directionally-challenged boyfriend. Otherwise, we will not survive, and little Naruto will be an orphan again. And I don't know about you, but I really want to see my kid grow up." He felt Iruka's barriers crumble a little, and turning slightly, he caught a glimpse of the younger man's face. "I promise you, we will get home."

"I know. Alright, Kakashi, what's our next move?" The jounin smiled behind the hound mask, and motioned up to the gnarled trees hanging low over them.

"First, we establish a safe camp. Considering the very real possibility that we may be alone to complete this mission, we need to prepare for all possible outcomes and take nothing for granted. Above all else, completion and report of the mission is our key goal. Now, our big problem is this; we started out as a six-man team, with one medic-nin, and we lost Hoshi, and possibly the other three. Two nin, no matter how skilled either of them may be, are going to have a difficult time with this. So you get up in the tree and get a camp prepared, and I'll summon the dogs." Iruka nodded and leapt into the branches, giving Kakashi a great view of his backside. The jounin's eyes roved over his love's body, smirking slightly, until they fell on his newly shorn hair. _That_ pissed him off, though he knew how irrational the feeling was. All that long, gorgeous brown silk was lying back in that damned ravine, and he'd have to get used to holding onto shaggy spikes like his during sex-AAAAAAAAAAND it was time to get his mind back out of the gutter and into the real world before he got them both killed. Biting the edge of his thumb under his mask, he set it to the ground.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu." Eight ninken swirled around him, Pakkun hopping onto his shoulder. He straightened up and gestured for Bull, Uhei, Guruko, and Shiba to begin patrols, then sent Bisuke, Akino, and Urushi up to be of service to Iruka. Pakkun remained where he was, sighing a little bit.

"Young pup, we're in a pickle, aren't we?"

"More or less. I really hate that I had to draw on you guys, but without you, we may not make it."

"What about your medic-nin?"

"Taken out in the first wave of attacks."

"And the others?"

"Separated. Iruka's holding up rather well, considering the rest of us were jounin and ANBU, and it was only his level-headedness that convinced the Sandaime to let him come."

"That's good. We don't need any panicking right now. I take it I'm the reconnaissance leader?"

"That you are. I'll need your reports as they come in, because we're going to take the canopy."

"You gonna tell Iruka?"

"Of course. There's no need for either of us to die before the enemy gets to us."

* * *

><p>It was snowing; which ordinarily would have made their return a great deal harder, had it not been for the fortune's favor. Asuma, Genma, and Raidou met them with a concussed Hoshi on Genma's back, a little more scarred up, but okay. Their trek was hastened by the skies Kakashi had cobbled together at Bull's suggestion, and now they slid over the snow like a line of ghosts, Raidou in the lead while Kakashi took up the rear. Despite the many jokes, the nin were all a little ill at ease, considering the pains taken to finish their mission, and the signs of attackers still out there. They did, however, have a few extra pairs of eyes; Pakkun rode with Iruka, while Bisuke and Genma kept a look out, and the other six dogs ranged out around the line, scouting out the countryside. That night, they had finally made it back to the border of the Fire Country; an extra hour of climbing brought them to their first camp. After a thorough check, Asuma gave the all clear and they settled in for the night, Kakashi and Iruka taking the first watch.<p>

"Kashi..." He said softly, leaning up against the older man's back. "At the risk of revealing myself to be a hopelessly romantic and motherly soul...how do you think Naruto is doing?" A warm smile touched his lips, and he sighed a little, pulling his mask away a smidgen and tugging the scarf down.

"He's probably driving poor Kurenai insane; you know, coloring on the walls, painting with his food, introducing urine to the water lilies."

"...And people wonder why I haven't murdered you yet."

"It's a talent, love."

"Well, you are very talented, despite not having been intimate with anyone else in your whole life."

"It's the Icha, darling."

"Mmhmm...Well, at any rate, I have no doubt that the village people will throw our child back at us when we arrive."

"I agree. Then we take him home, cuddle him to bed, then curl up, maybe engage in a little post-mission playtime, and then wake up at five in the morning because Naruto's worried that we're going away again."

"About that..." Kakashi sighed, remembering, long ago, when he'd first realized that his father was going out on missions...and might not come back. He'd hated the feeling, and as a parent now, he hated the thought that his little boy might be feeling the same way he did. But like he'd had to, there was only one way to get through it, and that was to learn and let live. Sometimes, that was all he could do.

"I hate to say it like this, but he will have to get used to it. Thankfully, though, it'll just be me for the most part going. Having you at home will help immensely."

"So we both can cuddle up to you when you get home and inflate your ego yet again?"

"Hey, at no time did I say that that is a bad thing."

"Narcissist."

"Only for you, Iruka." The chuunin chuckled gently, weaving his fingers into Kakashi's as they stared up at the stars, his shaggy hair barely held back by his hiate-ate. It was hard to believe that they'd been together as an actual couple for a year now; not that that bothered Iruka any, it was just hard to imagine. They did fight a fair amount, especially over Naruto's education. The teacher shivered a little at one particular memory, in which Kakashi was teaching Naruto how to target a small bull's-eye with a set of miniscule, fairly dull old kunai. The only problem? Kakashi was the one holding the target, and Naruto's aim was wildly off. He'd about had a coronary, and had yelled at the jounin for an hour afterwards, and so began a new regimen, which usually involved the Copy Nin just going ahead and teaching the boy, and Iruka getting back at him by teaching Naruto how to escape from an enemy nin whenever it was Kakashi's turn to bathe or dress him.

"You know, it's going to be odd when he's in the Academy."

"Maaa...My napping buddy will be no more..." Iruka could almost hear the pout in his voice.

"I doubt that. If we enroll him at five, he'll be let out in the afternoons. If we wait till he's six, then he'll get out at around two or three. I wish I could be his teacher, but as his parent..."

"Do we even want to enroll him?" The question was so odd, and at the same time so serious, that the chuunin turned to look at him.

"What do you mean?" The hound mask shifted further in his clawed fingers, and Kakashi's lone gray eye peeked out, smiling a little sadly.

"What I mean is do we want to enroll him? Because of the Kyuubi, he'll be ostracised from the onset, and I don't doubt that unless it's Izumo or Shikaku teaching, the teacher will likely join in and ignore him. Worse, he might actually get attacked, and while the thought seems completely asinine, I honestly couldn't put it past the elders, and no few of the older teachers. I was thinking that maybe we ought to talk to the Hokage; I know that there are a few children who're orphans who don't get a lot of support in their classes...well, save for the ones in your class, Iruka-sensei." The compliment made him blush, and he smiled, leaning into Kakashi's shoulder.

"You make several very valid points that I hadn't even thought of...I just...for some reason, I can't see my little boy as anything but happy."

"Baby, there are so many days I wish I could think of others the way you do...But, in any case, I'm sure we can work something out."

"We'll find a way. We found it in building a family, so surely we can put your genius and my common sense to good work again." Kakashi grinned and leaned down, planting a firm kiss on his lips, his long hands roving over Iruka's torso and slipping down underneath his shirt. The chuunin broke off the kiss with a light nip to his ear, forestalling his wanderlust. "Now, now...Not on watch."

"Ooh, so when we get relieved, we can...?"

"We'll see! Good grief, you haven't gotten laid in three days and you're already chomping at the bit."

"I'm horny, dammit."

"So get in your damn tent and keep it down, Kakashi-kun." Genma's irritated voice floated over to them as the senbon-nibbling jounin took a seat opposite of them, shaking Raidou's outstretched foot to wake his own partner up. Glancing up, Iruka sighed theatrically and let Kakashi's evil leer go with a soft smack to the back of his head.

"Oh, alright, _fine_, you shameless mutt." He tried to stand up, but found himself folded in his lover's arms and then abruptly dumped into their combined camp bed. Sitting up, he had to smile as Kakashi fought with the ties, cursing under his breath as the flaps bravely stood up to his intentions. Before too long, though, they were securely tied down, and he'd divested himself of his armor, mask, and claws before crawling on top of his lover, nuzzling Iruka's neck.

"Yes, but I'm your shameless mutt, right?" The chuunin smiled, and pulled him into a long kiss.

"That's right. You're all mine."

**MOAR CHEESE. Because I can. And because everyone needs dopey, cute as hell fic from time to time. I am learning a lot from writing this one, though...especially because I've been trying to expand my horizons in regards to actions/scenary/emotions, not just dialogue and basic motions. And a slight change in Kurenai's name. For some reason, that spelling kept popping up in the manga, and before I knew it, that's what I was using.**


	3. Chapter 3

**He's Mine**

"Mooooom!" Naruto called as he opened the front door, shoving the panel back, his bookbag dangling from one shoulder. Behind him came a slightly grouchy sniff, and the blonde sighed, motioning for Sasuke to follow him. "C'mon, he's probably still at school for a meetin' or somethin'."

"...Why would he be there?" Black eyes drilled into Naruto's blue, and he smiled, reaching up with a little difficulty to put his bookbag on it's peg.

"Cause he's a teacher for all the older pre-genin. Dad's just a jounin, so someone has to bring home a steady paycheck."

"Hey, I resent that, munchkin." Came a sleepy, deep voice, muffled slightly from the pear he was eating, the owner leaning against the doorway of the kitchen.

"How's the Sandaime, Naruto-chan?" Maskless, Kakashi smiled as the boy scrunched up his face in a grimace at the nickname, and crouched down to pull the six-year-old into a hug, settling on crossed legs to snuggle the blonde.

"He's fine...He fell really badly, and we got told off for tryin' to help..." Kakashi felt a familiar disgruntleness towards whatever aide had bitched, but he shook it off. Old Sarutobi was far from infirm; if he needed help, he knew who to call to discretely get the job done. "It kinda sucked, too, 'cause I got detention for mouthing off again."

"Don't say 'sucked', kiddo."

"But you say it all the time."

"Yeah, but I'm twenty years old; you're six. I've earned the right to say it."

"But that's not fair! My days are totally worse than yours!"

"Yeah, but I go on far more missions. So I can say it. And don't say 'totally' as an adjective. Your mom will string me up." Naruto snorted, and Kakashi rolled his eyes, holding out a hand to draw Sasuke closer. "Anyway...Naruto, you're being rude to your guest. Why don't you ask Sasuke-kun what he'd like to drink?" Bright blue eyes lit up, and the boy nodded quickly, turning to extracate himself from his father.

"Sasuke, what would you like drink? Do you want a snack? We got pop an' lemonade an' milk...blech..." The older boy studied the blonde for a moment, then dipped his head a little, his voice quiet.

"Just...a glass of lemonade, please."

"KAY!" As Naruto ran off, Kakashi reached out and ruffled shaggy black hair, causing onyx eyes to glance up at him.

"You okay, kiddo? It's been a rough few weeks, hasn't it?"

"...I...don't wanna talk about it."

"Okay. If you want to, feel free to ask Iruka or I. We're always here, Sasuke."

"...Thank you..." A stray tear had rolled down his face, and Kakashi wrapped his arms around the little boy, pulling him into a hug. Naruto walked in just as Sasuke started crying in earnest, and Kakashi raised a finger to his lips, beckoning the blonde closer. Naruto set the glass softly on the table, then made his way over to his friend and father, sitting down next to Kakashi. The jounin turned his attention back to the little Uchiha, and wondered, sadly, if Itachi would ever be able to see his brother again. After his induction into ANBU, Itachi had been all but forced to become the posterboy for the secret service, isolated from everyone, and showcased to all...and that's when the tragedy had occured. Sasuke's parents were so overwhelmed with pride and the heady power that came from being able to hobnob with all the Elders that the little boy had been all but abandoned in his brother's shadow...Kakashi hated to see anyone be treated like that, especially when it was a friend of his own boy. So he held the little boy close, reaching out a hand to ruffle Naruto's hair in a reassuring way, until Sasuke's tears quieted and he'd pulled away, snuffling a little and rubbing his eyes.

"Hey there, kiddo. Want some lemonade now?" He nodded, and moved away, wiping his eyes and nose on his wristband. Naruto made to get up with him, his big blue eyes upset, but the jounin pulled him back.

"Naruto, leave him be for a little bit. He's really upset right now, and he needs a little time to come to terms with a lot of what's happening. You know how Mom always tells you to think before you speak?" A silent nod. "Well, this is kinda the same thing. Except sometimes you have to watch a person before you speak to them. Does Sasuke look sad and scared?" Another nod. "Okay, then that means that you just need to wait to talk to him. He'll be ready in a little while. In the mean time, why don't you go root around for those new action figures Mom got for you? You guys can use the living room for a while." Naruto was staring at his feet, his blue eyes dimmed, and Kakashi gently caught hold of his chin. "It's going to be okay...but I need you to be your hyper little self for me. Sasuke deserves to have a friend like you. Now get moving, Naruto-chan." The little boy smiled bright, and ran off, his spirit renewed, and Sasuke gave Kakashi a tiny smile of thanks. The jounin settled back on his haunches as he watched the boys take over the large family room, Naruto racing back and forth between his room to bring out toy after toy, and before long, a small city of blocks, wooden cars, and rag dolls, helped by a few well-placed boxes Kakashi had pulled out of the storage room, had sprung up, and both children were deep in a heroic rescue featuring their favorite legendary ninja and a beautiful maiden vying for both their attentions. Dusting off his hands, he smiled faintly and stepped outside, pausing only to leave a sleepy Bull to watch over them.

He smiled faintly up at the sky, one hand touching the scar over his left eye as he did so. Obito would have loved watching the kids play; he really had been too gentle for the life of a jounin, not unlike his own Iruka...He smirked, however, and shook his head. No, Iruka was infinitely tougher, and as he spied a familiar figure walking up to the gates that kepted the rest of Konoha out of their quiet life, his brown hair long again, and undone from the tight braid he kept it in during the day, Kakashi felt his whole body relax. There was nothing better than being able to welcome his lover home, and he set off with a grin, arms opening wide as Iruka unlatched the gate.

"Mooooooooooooooooooom!" Usually, Naruto's bright, loud voice was a welcome addition to the quiet birdsong and murmur of the crowds, even when Iruka was too harried to do more than throw him at his father. But there was no overflowing happiness now; he was shrill, terrified out of his mind, and Iruka neatly used Kakashi as a springboard to fly out of the tiny ramen stand, rage at anyone even so much as breathing wrongly on his boy tinting his line of sight red. He tore down the cobblestones like a furious bull, faintly aware that Kakashi was barely a few seconds behind him, both nin tailed by the other jounin they'd been having an 'adults only' lunch with. The madcap dash through the streets of Konoha ended with a near-crash, as Iruka came to a dead stop, barely conscious to the fact that first Kakashi, then Gai, Itachi, Genma, Raidou, and a curious Anko slammed into him, the young woman bouncing off to land against a wall. Murderous brown eyes stared up at the wiggling figure of his baby boy, strung up by one ankle and hanging from one of the tallest trees outside the academy. He had clearly not put himself in that position; not even Naruto's infamous flexibility could have allowed him to hog-tie himself, then suspend himself from a branch fifty feet off the ground.

"Maaaaaaamaaaaaaaaaa!" It was clear the boy was crying now, and immediately, Kakashi tore up the side of the tree, while Iruka threw himself underneath the little boy. As the jounin quickly sliced through the rope, sending Naruto on a short, terrifying drop into his mom's arms, he surveyed the knotwork, eye hardening to a steely gray. As Iruka caught and began soothing Naruto, letting his black shirt get soggy as the boy sobbed against his chest, Kakashi motioned to Genma and Rai, then flung a kunai into the tree opposite him, where he'd noted four or five distinct shadows where none should have been, all stationary. A young woman's cry out of pain, and the jounin were on her like wolves, pinning her and her terrified friends to the trees with glares and sharp blades. Kakashi himself had launched out of the tree and gotten her, his lips twisting in anger beneath his black mask, while Gai made his way tentatively to Iruka, helping the younger man pull the ropes free.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? You could have strangled him!" He barked out, voice harsh and grating. She cringed, and it was Anko who answered him, having taken up the rope Iruka had worked off Naruto and deftly tied two of the offenders together.

"They were showing off to their parents, no doubt. Isn't that right, Michiru?" The girl winced, and Kakashi cocked an eyebrow at the older kuniochi. "She's a cousin of mine, Kakashi. I'm sorry that my family's so..."

"Vile?" Came Genma's drawl, and Anko sighed.

"To put too fine a point on it...yes. Well, we better get these idiots over to the school and sent in for disciplining. Kakashi, you probably ought to let us take care of this; Raidou, take over for him." Reluctantly, the silver-haired jounin let the girl's shoulder go; he was a hair too pissed to make an accurate judgement, and the Head of the Academy would certainly hold that over his head. He slipped away easily enough; Anko had taken charge more often lately, and he was inclined to let her. He wasn't a terribly good leader anyway, and besides...there was a short blonde who was in desperate need of ramen and cuddles. He took himself back to Iruka, and promptly was handed his son so that his lover could punch the tree. As Naruto snuffled, Iruka proceded to thoroughly dent the old oak, staggering back when his knuckles were bleeding and his breathing harsh. The jounin contemplated asking him to stop, then revised his probable suicide and settled for offering his free hand, planting a soft, fabric-covered kiss on Iruka's forehead, pushing his headband out of the way a little.

"Kakashi?"

"...Hai?"

"Let's stop by Ichiraku's on the way home. I don't feel like cooking." An hour or so later, they were safe in the compound, guarded by a willing Gai, Naruto bundled in Iruka's arms, Iruka in Kakashi's. Kakashi leaned against Bull, with all the other ninken sleeping around them. The fire was burning low, but he was loathe to leave the pile of warm bodies. Iruka was leaning into him, Naruto cuddled against his chest, so that his adoptive mother could still share a kiss or two with his father, and was doing so right now, nibbling up Kakashi's neck. He let a soft growl rumble in his throat, and wove one hand into Iruka's long hair.

"You are insatiable."

"I thought that was my line."

"Mm, I thought it was too. But I understand why, babe; that was pretty damned scary today."

"It was...What the hell were those brats thinking? He could have been killed!"

"Iruka, beautiful...they weren't thinking. They're kids, and not terribly bright ones at that."

"But..."

"But there's not a hell of a lot we can do. We can take care of our son, and make sure it doesn't happen again."

"But, we can't be with him all the time..."

"That's why we make sure he's with a friend at all times. Sasuke and he are close enough to go home together every day; Sakura's been tagging along lately too. And he's a smart kid; he's not going to wander off, not when he knows what can happen. Tell you what; let's get them into your genin class; don't look at me like that, you know full well that you can do a better job, AND Naruto would be safe." Kakashi brushed the long strands out of his face. "Not to mention the fact that his classmates, once they see him in there, won't let others bully him, since their parents are mostly pretty decent." Iruka sighed, nuzzling close, and Kakashi soothed him wordlessly. Luck still seemed to be against them, along with the rest of Konoha...But nothing could change the fact that they had each other. And that, as Sarutobi was wont to remind him whenever he bitched about the townsfolk, the most important thing of all.

Kakashi watched with undisguised delight as Iruka's very first genin class, still on it's first day, tore out of the classroom windows like a whirlwind, Iruka leading the pack into the forest. He, Kakashi, as well as Itachi, Gai, Anko, and Asuma, would be acting as the 'enemy'; Iruka wanted his young charges to learn, from the beginning, that his classes were _not_ merely lecture, memorization, and simple exercises. However, because of the previous actions of certain genin and chuunin, both he, the Hokage, and the Head of the Academy agreed that only friendly, responsible jounin would be allowed to lend a hand. And of those, all but Anko had a personal interest in the class's occupants. Which was why Asuma was leading; not only was he the oldest of the jounin, he had acted as a surrogate uncle to Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino for years, while Gai had an eye to turn Rock Lee into his protege, and Itachi and Kakashi, of course, had two wily little boys to watch over. Glancing over to his right, Kakashi suppressed a chuckle. Speaking of the devil himself...Itachi was crouched out on the branch beside him, his black eyes warmed as he studied his baby brother's movements. Iruka was leading them on a merry chase at the moment, paper throwing stars dancing through the air as he twisted like a whirling dervish. He'd banned all live weaponry from the field today, reasoning that inexperience would cost them far more in the way of injuries than malcontent, and the first half of the class had been put to making their replacements.

Kakashi found himself following the lines of Iruka's body, unaware that he'd licked his lips and was humming appreciatively until Gai reached over and smacked his eternal rival kindly on the shoulder. He startled badly with a squawk, and nearly fell off his own branch, glaring silver death over at the grinning, spandexed jounin as he clung to it upside down.

"I hate you, Gai."

"Perhaps you do, my rival dearest, but I must admit that your distracted gaze was far from comfortable for the rest of us to endure, Kakashi-kun." Gai's words washed over him like a cold shower, and he grumbled, righting himself before raising a glare to an obviously amused Itachi.

"He's right, Kakashi. I was tempted to chuck a kunai at you, if I didn't know that Iruka'd beat me bloody." Kakashi groaned faintly, then hissed as a fist swung just above his head.

"Dammit, Asuma..."

"Shut it, Hatake, they're getting close. Come on, you idiots; we have a job to do." Kakashi sighed, but smiled slightly as he leapt off away from the tree, freefalling to the ground to land directly in front of Iruka. He crouched as he landed, and sprang up to wrap his arms around the teacher's middle and sprint off into the trees, throwing his lover over his shoulder like a bag of rocks. _This_ was the main point of today's lessoning; one of two people were always the target in a group of nin. The weakest member, and the leader. And Kakashi had just effectively eliminated their greatest strength, and surprising weakness. Anko had the suspicion that Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Neji would fight for dominance now; as Kakashi ran up a tree, careful to move Iruka around so that he was carried bridal style, he could hear those suspicions made true as little voices rose in anger. The other four will have made off with the girls: Sakura, Ino, Tenten, and Hinata, leaving the boys to fight it out. He personally placed his bets on Shikamaru; despite his laziness, the boy was as stubborn as his father when presented with bad situations. Neji was used to guarding others; he'd been raised to protect Hinata, and now, without his charge nearby, he was at odds with his duty and his need to be in charge. And Sasuke...Sasuke had a lot to live up to, so his normal sullen pouting was already burning away. That left Naruto, Kiba, Akamaru, Shino, Choji, and Rock, who, if Kakashi was any judge, would probably devolve into utter chaos. He perched himself on a wide branch and settled his back against the sun-warmed bark, chuckling as Iruka snuggled close, his long legs tucked in between Kakashi's.

"You're such a romantic."

"Maa, thought that's what you liked about me."

"Mmm...it is. So, I take it the plan's moving perfectly?"

"As much as it can. The girls should be deposited over there in just a few minutes, then the others will go back and pick up four of the boys. Then..."

"Let the entertainment begin?"

"Indeed. So, your rescue is the goal for today; Asuma, Itachi, and Anko should be explaining that to everyone in a bit, and then you and I get to sit back and relax the rest of the day." Iruka looked up at him from where he was snuggled, and raised an eyebrow.

"Don't be so sure, Kashi. You know just as well as I do that kids can be the biggest surprises."

"Maybe so, but we are in the tallest tree for miles around, none of these kids have the chakra control to walk up a vertical surface, and they have the basics of topography reading and chakra detection. So, I'm confident that we'll be alone for a while. In the mean time, I can play horrible interrogator and force you to do all manner of things." Iruka snorted, pushing away slightly.

"And what sort of things were you thinking of, my dear pervert?" Kakashi smiled slightly.

"I was thinking a little kissing, a little cuddling, and a little enjoying the nap we both need." Iruka laughed, warmly, and tilted his head back, brown eyes large and warm, making himself utterly irresistable. Kakashi smiled, pulled his mask down, and preceded to run headlong into those welcoming lips, losing himself completely in love.

**Time to thank reviewers! And answer another's concern.**

**KNDfreak - Thank you, soooooo much. I hope to keep earning your love! (And your first review gave me ideeeeeeeears...kekeke...)**

**Zooe - Thanks for the fixed spelling! I blame the manga.**

**Prescripto13 - Wait till the next chapter, then we're gonna really have some fun with the compound!**

**Kick-Aft - Thank you!**

**an - That was actually the very one, if we're thinking of the same picture (Maskless Kashi, roughed up 'Ruka, sleeping Naruto?) that started this fic!**

**One With No Name-OWNN - I hope it stays that way for you!**

**And the unknown reader; ordinarily, I'd agree with you. But there is a method to my madness, and it lies in the fact that while Iruka is indeed a man, and a gay man to boot, he is a very, very mothering soul. Sure, most of the time people call him a mom, and I'm sure it does seem irritating, but at this point in the story, that's who most of the village sees him as. And he doesn't mind; in fact, he prefers it, at least in this universe, because it gives him an edge over the others. If they saw him only as Naruto's teacher and erstwhile guardian, they might consider that he doesn't really care about the boy, and therefore, Naruto becomes an easy target for ridicule. Since, however, that is not the case, he _has_ to make sure that they understand that. Now, this does make both Naruto and Iruka targets, because to hurt one is to hurt the other. And that will be exploited later on. I can promise you that. But, on a lighter note, it's simply an endearment; I've seen plenty of gay men (and lesbian women), who are called 'mom' and 'dad' respectively, and it's not meant to feminize or masculinize either one. Hell, my transgender brother-in-law gave his little boy up for adoption when circumstances were bleak, and the gay couple who adopted him use those endearments happily. So, it's not meant to annoy, but I'm also not going to change my stance. Thank you though, and I do hope you keep reading. **


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